By exploiting the versatility of ultracold atoms experiments, a variety of many-body phe- nomena can be studied. Ferromagnetism in a trapped ultracold gas of repulsively interacting fermions is considered within a local-density approximation and beyond, where energetic sig- natures indicate its onset. Transport of a Bose-Einstein condensate is explored experimentally in a tunable double-well potential, and a crossover from hydrodynamic to Josephson transport is observed as the barrier between condensates is raised. To add a degree of freedom for the manipulation of ultracold gases, two schemes for species-specific optical lattices are developed theoretically.

This thesis discusses two ensembles, the study of which was dependent upon the controllable production of cold gas-phase samples using supersonic beams. The experiments on DNA bases and base clusters were carried out in Germany at the Max Born Institute. The experiments anticipating the construction of a molecular beam slower were carried out in the United States at the University of Texas at Austin. Femtosecond pump-probe techniques were employed to study the dynamics and electronic character of DNA bases, pairs and clusters in the gas phase. Experiments on DNA base monomers confirmed the dominance of a particular relaxation pathway, the nπ* state. Competition between this state and another proposed relaxation pathway was demonstrated through observations of the DNA base pairs and base-water clusters, settling a recent controversy. Further, it was determined that the excited state dynamics in base pairs is due to intramolecular processes rather than intermolecular processes. Finally, results from base-water clusters confirm that microsolvation permits comparison with biologically relevant liquid phase experiments and with ab initio calculations, bridging a long-standing gap. A purely mechanical technique that does not rely upon quantum or electronic properties to produce very cold, very slow atoms and molecules would be more generally applicable than current approaches. The approach described here uses supersonic beam methods to produce a very cold beam of particles and a rotating paddle-wheel, or rotor, to slow the cold beam. Initial experiments testing the possibility of elastic scattering from a single crystal surface were conducted and the implications of these experiments are discussed. / text

Laser-cooled atoms offer an excellent platform for testing new ideas of quantum control and measurement. I will discuss experiments where we use light and magnetic fields to drive and monitor non-trivial quantum dynamics of a large spin-angular momentum associated with an atomic hyperfine ground state. We can design Hamiltonians to generate arbitrary spin states and perform a full quantum state reconstruction of the results. We have implemented and verified time optimal controls to generate a broad variety of spin states, including spin-squeezed states useful for metrology. Yields achieved are of the range 0.8-0.9.We present a first experimental demonstration of the quantum kicked top, a popular paradigm for quantum and classical chaos. We make `movies' of the evolving quantum state which provides a direct observation of phase space dynamics of this system. The spin dynamics seen in the experiment includes dynamical tunneling between regular islands, rapid spreading of states throughout the chaotic sea, and surprisingly robust signatures of classical phase space structures. Our data show differences between regular and chaotic dynamics in the sensitivity to perturbations of the quantum kicked top Hamiltonian and in the average electron-nuclear spin entanglement during the first 40 kicks. The difference, while clear, is modest due to the small size of the spin.

Time-varying fields are widely used to extend the accessible range of trapping potentials for ultracold atoms. This work explores two very different examples of such fields, in the radiofrequency and optical regimes, whose interactions with trapped atoms can both be described in terms of the dressed atom picture. Forming the basis of this work are radiofrequency dressed adiabatic potentials based on macroscopic trapping coils. Atoms are confined at the south pole of the resultant oblate spheroidal trapping surfaces. This work describes the extension of these potentials by two different methods: the application of multiple dressing radiofrequencies, and addition of a rapidly-scanned optical dipole trap. This is the first experimental demonstration of a multiple-radiofrequency dressed adiabatic potential, explored using ultracold ⁸⁷Rb atoms confined in a highly configurable double well. Due to the independent generation of each constituent dressing frequency, the depth of each trapping well and the height of the barrier are easily manipulated, enabling precise and reliable transfer of atoms between the available trapping geometries. Experimental work includes an exploration of the potential-shaping capabilities of the three-radiofrequency system, and characterisation of the potential landscape using radiofrequency spectroscopy with good agreement to the eigenvalues numerically calculated using Floquet theory. This initial exploration of multiple-radiofrequency techniques lays the groundwork for applications in studying double well physics in a two-dimensional system, and independent state or species selective manipulation of trapped atoms. The potential shaping capabilities of this method can also be extended by applying additional trapping frequencies. In a supplementary line of experimental work, an optical dipole trapping system has been constructed, and the trapping beam aligned to the lower surface of the radiofrequency dressed trapping shell in order to sculpt the radial confinement. Beam shaping is achieved using an acousto-optic deflector, which can be used to produce either a composite array of static deflected beams, a rapidly-scanned painted potential, or some combination of the two approaches. The development and extension of the experimental apparatus required to implement these enhanced dressed state potentials is explored, and the challenges of their experimental implementation considered.

Neste trabalho, estudamos colisões entre átomos de Rydberg ultrafrios em uma amostra atômica de alta densidade aprisionada em uma armadilha óptica de dipolo (AOD) tipo QUEST (Quasi Electrostatic Trap). Nossos objetivos incluíam testar a manifestação de fenômenos de muitos corpos bem como estudar efeitos de anisotropia nos processos colisionais envolvendo dois corpos. Para isso, escolhemos o processo colisional descrito por 5/2+5/2(+2)3/2+(2)7/2 no intervalo de 37 ≤ ≤47. O processo foi estudado na ausência e presença de campo elétrico estático, originando as ressonâncias Förster. Os resultados mostram que mesmo em alta densidade atômica o processo de dois corpos domina a interação, apesar da clara manifestação do bloqueio dipolar. Após modificações na montagem experimental, estudamos um dos picos da ressonância Förster 375/2+375/2393/2+357/2 em função da direção e amplitude em relação ao eixo longitudinal da AOD. Discutimos os resultados e os desafios futuros do experimento. / In this paper, we study collisions between ultracold Rydberg atoms in a high density atomic sample trapped in an optical dipole trap (ODT), type QUEST (Quasi Electrostatic Trap). Our goals included testing the manifestation of many-body phenomena and to study anisotropy effects in collisional processes involving two Rydberg atoms. In order to do this, we have chosen the collision process described by 5/2+5/2(+2)3/2+(2)7/2 in the range of 37 ≤ ≤47. The process was studied in the presence and absence of a dc static electric field, also known as Förster resonances. The results show that even at high atomic density, two-body interaction dominates de process, despite the clear manifestation of Rydberg blockade. After several improvements in our experimental setup, we have studied also a Förster resonance peak 375/2+375/2393/2+357/2 as a function of the magnitude of the dc static electric field as well as the angle between this field and the longitudinal axis of the ODT. We discuss the results and future challenges of the experiment.

Dans cette thèse, nous présentons l'étude théorique d'un interféromètre atomique utilisant des atomes thermiques (i.e. non condensés) piégés sur une puce, avec des effets de champ moyen réduits. Afin de maintenir un niveau adéquat de cohérence, un haut degré de symétrie entre les deux bras d'un tel interféromètre est nécessaire. Pour atteindre cet objectif, nous décrivons un protocole expérimental basé sur l'utilisation des micro-ondes en champ proche générés par deux guides d'ondes coplanaires transportant des courants oscillants à des fréquences différentes. Nous étudions principalement deux configurations symétriques pour réaliser une séparatrice atomique, soit le long de l'axe longitudinal soit le long de l'axe transversal du piège magnétique statique.Dans le cas d'une séparation transversale des atomes, nous discutons la nécessité d'utiliser un micro-piège sur-mesure qui possède une structure de champ similaire à celle d'un Ioffe Prichard macroscopique et nous proposons une conception concrète d'un tel micro-piège. Dans le cas d'une séparation axiale des atomes, nous étudions certains facteurs physiques qui limitent les performances ultimes de cet interféromètre tels que : la dissymétrie des potentiels, l'effet des fluctuations des champs statiques et micro-ondes, et la stabilité du signal gravitationnel de l'interféromètre. Nous utilisons un modèle harmonique unidimensionnel simplifié pour décrire la chute du contraste de l'interféromètre. Enfin, nous envisageons la possibilité d'une séparation et d'une recombinaison atomique non-adiabatique sans chauffage vibrationnel en concevant des trajectoires appropriées des potentiels de piégeages. / In this thesis, we report the theoretical study of an atom interferometer using thermal (i.e. non condensed) atoms trapped on a chip, with reduced mean-field effects. To keep an adequate level of coherence, a high level of symmetry between the arms of such an interferometer is required. To achieve this goal, we describe an experimental protocol based on microwave near-fields created by two coplanar waveguides carrying currents oscillating at different frequencies. This method enables the creation of two symmetrical microwave potentials that depend on the atomic internal state, and allows a state-selective symmetrical splitting of the atoms. We mainly consider two symmetrical configurations to separate the atoms either along the longitudinal axis or along the transverse axis of the static magnetic trap. In the case of a transverse splitting of the atoms, we discuss the advantages of using a custom microtrap that has the same field structure as a standard macroscopic Ioffe Pritchard trap, and we propose a practical design for such a microtrap. In the case of an axial splitting of the atoms, we study some physical factors limiting the ultimate performances of this interferometer such as: the dissymmetry of the microwave potentials, the effect of the fluctuations of static and microwave fields and the stability of the interferometer gravitational signal. We derive a simplified one-dimensional harmonic model to describe the interferometer contrast decay. Finally, we consider the possibility of non-adiabatic atomic splitting and recombination without vibrational heating by designing appropriate trajectories of the trapping-potentials based on the theory of dynamical invariants.

In systems of ultracold atoms,  the  quantum  Efimov  effect  can  appear where identical bosons form an infinite tower of bound trimer states in the resonant limit, at the bound dimer dissociation threshold. The most characteristic feature of this effect is that their energy spectrum obey a geometric scaling law, which is universal in the sense that it emerges irrespective of the nature of the two body forces. Using  a  model  potential,  constructed  to  resemble the two body interaction between alkali atoms,  which was  fine tuned to control the  scattering  length,  energy  eigenvalues  for  the  two-  and  threebody problem were calculated numerically. The results where  fitted  to  the analytic theory and the appearance of the first Efimov state was positioned at a scattering length of -9.23rvdW , which is in good  agreement  with  the universal value -9.2rvdW . / I system av ultrakalla atomer kan en kvanteffekt, kallad Efimoveffekt, uppkomma  där  identiska  bosoner  bildar  ett  oändligt  torn  av  bundna  trekroppstillstånd då spridningslängden går mot oändligheten, vid dissociationströskeln för en svagt bunden dimer.  Det mest utmärkande för denna effekt är att Efimovtillståndens energispektrum följer en geometrisk skalningslag, som är universell i den meningen att den framträder oberoende av hur atomernas parvisa växelverkan ser ut.  Med hjälp av en modellpotential som konstruerats för att efterlikna den parvisa växelverkan mellan två alkaliatomer finjusterades spridningslängden.  Energiegenvärdena för två- och tre-kropps problemen  beräknades  numeriskt  vid  olika  spridningslängder.   Resultaten jämfördes  med  den  analytiska  teorin  och  den  första  tre-kroppsresonansen uppkom  vid  spridningslängden  -9.23rvdW ,  vilket  överenstämmer  med  det experimentellt funna universella värdet -9.2rvdW .

This thesis describes the design, construction and optimisation of two compact setups to produce ⁸⁷Rb Bose-Einstein condensates and dual ⁷Li-⁸⁷Rb Magneto- Optical Traps (MOTs). The motivation for compact systems is to have simplified systems to cool the atoms. The first experimental setup is based on a single pyrex glass cell without the need for atom chips. Fast evaporation will be achieved in a hybrid trap comprising of a magnetic quadrupole trap and an optical dipole trap created by a Nd:YVO4 laser and with future plans of using a Spatial Light Modulator (SLM). To enhance an efficient and rapid evaporation, we have investigated Light-Induced Atomic Desorption (LIAD) to modulate the Rb partial pressure during the cooling and trapping stage. With this technique, a ⁸⁷Rb MOT of 7 x 10⁷ atoms was loaded by shining violet light from a LED source into the glass cell, whose walls are coated with rubidium atoms. The atoms were then cooled by optical molasses and then loaded into a magnetic trap where lifetime measurements demonstrated that LIAD improves on magnetically-trapped atoms loaded from constant background pressure by a factor of six. This is quite encouraging and opens the possibility to do a rapid evaporation. In a second experiment, we have designed a compact system based on a stainless steel chamber to trap either ⁷Li or ⁶Li atoms in a MOT loaded from alkali-metal dispensers without the need of conventional oven-Zeeman slower. This setup can also load ⁸⁷Rb atoms, allowing future projects to simultaneously produce degenerate quantum gases of bosonic ⁸⁷Rb and fermionic ⁶Li atoms.

This Thesis contains details of the construction and characterisation of a compact apparatus for the cooling of ultracold atoms to quantum degeneracy, and their manipulation in flexible holographic optical traps. We have designed and built two iterations of this apparatus. The first version consists of a stainless steel single-cell vacuum chamber, in which we confine ⁸⁷Rb and ⁶Li or ⁷Li in a Magneto-Optical Trap. We characterise the alternative methods of pulsed atomic dispenser and Light Induced Atomic Desorption (LIAD) to rapidly vary the background pressure in the vacuum chamber with the view to enabling efficient evaporative cooling in the single chamber, loading MOTs of up to 10⁸ atoms using pulsed dispensers. The LIAD is found to be ineffective in loading large MOTs in this setup, while the pulsed dispensers method gradually increases the background pressure in the chamber over time. Based on the results of this first iteration, we designed and built a second single-chamber apparatus for cooling of ⁸⁷Rb to quantum degeneracy. The LIAD technique was used to successfully load MOTs containing 8x10⁷ atoms in this single pyrex cell with a rapidly-varying background pressure. The lifetime of an atomic cloud loaded from the MOT into a magnetic trap increased by a factor of 6 when LIAD was used. The holographic optical traps for cold atoms are generated using a Spatial Light Modulator, and we present our novel method for improving the quality of holographic light patterns to the point where they are suitable for trapping ultracold atoms using a feedback algorithm. As demonstrations of this new capability, we show power-law optical traps which provide an efficient, reversible route to Bose-Einstein Condensation and a dynamic ring trap for the investigation of superfluidity in cold atoms.

Die ultrakalte Atom- und Molekülephysik, zu welcher man zum Beispiel bei der Bose-Einstein-Kondensation von verdünnten Gasen Zugang hat, wurde untersucht. In solchen Systemen dominieren Zwei-Körper-Stöße und ihre detaillierte Untersuchung ist eines der zentralen Themen dieser Arbeit. Diese wurden durchgeführt unter Berücksichtigung von elementaren chemischen Reaktionen, Photoassoziation und magnetischen Feshbach-Resonanzen. Weiterhin wurden Untersuchungen von Atomen in optischen Gittern durchgeführt. Die Viel-Teilchen-Systeme wurden nicht nur mit dem üblichen mean-field Ansatz behandelt, sondern auch darüber hinausgehend, um die voll korrelierte Bewegung zu simulieren. / The ultracold atomic and molecular physics as it is accessible, e.g., in Bose-Einstein condensates of dilute gases was investigated. In such systems two-body collisions are dominant and their detailed study is one of the central topics of this work. They were done considering elementary chemical reactions as photoassociation, and magnetic Feshbach resonances. Additionally, studies of atoms in optical lattice sites were carried out. The many-body systems were not only considered within the usually adopted mean-field approach but also beyond that in order to simulate the fully correlated motion.